In known video conference arrangements addition or deletion of locations to or from an ongoing conference tended to cause disruptions in the video and audio information being transmitted to the conference locations. Additionally, there was no monitoring of the video or audio information of the locations to be added to the conference or of any of the conference locations except that provided by human viewers or the conferees themselves. Consequently, if the location to be added or a location already connected in the conference has unsatisfactory audio or video signals, undesirable disruptions in the conference can occur.
Moreover, when adding or deleting one or more locations to or from, respectively, an ongoing conference, disruptions could still occur in prior arrangements because the existing transmission connections usually needed to be physically reconfigured. The resulting disruptions can be of a momentary nature or for long periods of time. Indeed, the location having unsatisfactory audio or video signals causing the disruptions would usually require physical removal from the conference.